Valdimir Putin, decided in October 2015, to enter the Syrian conflict in order to save Bashar Assad, and he as so far done that and more. He has not only reversed the gains by the various Syrian factions fighting Assad, but has also dealt severe blows to ISIL and the al Qaeda branch, the Nusra Front. This forced the West led by the USA, to use its influence to force the Syrian "rebels" to a ceasefire and come to the peace table, which they did on Feb.27, 2016. The cease fire has largely held ( ISIL and the Nusra Front are not included), and the peace talks continue.
Putin was seen as a "problem" in October, when he entered the fray, sending fighter jets helicopters as well as soldiers and ships. They carried many combat sorties each day and succeeded to turn the tide of war and helped create the conditions for the peace talks. Putin the problem was now an important ally.
Putin was a pariah, shunned by the West. He was shunted to the sidelines and was threatened with a "chest bump" by the Australian prime minister, and lectured by Harper the Canadian prime minister on the Ukraine ( they, by the way are no longer around, one was booted out by his party and the other was booted out by the voters). The Russian military successes, forced the US and its coalition to bring him in from the cold and to become the important player, in this Syrian crisis. Before Putin's involvement, the fight against ISIL and the Nusra Front going badly, with more and more territory falling into their hands. The Russians did not restrict their "sorties" to these two but also targeted the "Syrian rebels". The pariah is now a welcomed partner.
Putin the "peacemaker", is riding high these days and so is Russia. It remains in East Ukraine ( and with Harper gone, you can barely hear a whimper from the West), and is there to stay. In Syria, it has an air base and a naval facility in Syria and will not leave them. It also will keep a number of troops in Syria ( Russia had always wanted a warm water poet in the Middle East and now it has one.
Putin's popularity continues to be very high in Russia, despite the economic sanctions and its effects on the lives of the people. He as brought back pride to his nation ( after the alcoholic- soaked regime of Yeltsin, which saw Russia become a "joke". Back in 1960, the then leader Nikita Khruschev, was asked by the editor of the Egyptian publication al Ahram, what constitutes a superpower's clout, and he replied that " half of a superpower's clout is its prestige and that if a superpower loses its prestige, it becomes nothing more than an old whore". No respect).
Putin has restored Russia's pride, power and prestige and it is an important "player" and no longer an "Old Whore"
Putin was seen as a "problem" in October, when he entered the fray, sending fighter jets helicopters as well as soldiers and ships. They carried many combat sorties each day and succeeded to turn the tide of war and helped create the conditions for the peace talks. Putin the problem was now an important ally.
Putin was a pariah, shunned by the West. He was shunted to the sidelines and was threatened with a "chest bump" by the Australian prime minister, and lectured by Harper the Canadian prime minister on the Ukraine ( they, by the way are no longer around, one was booted out by his party and the other was booted out by the voters). The Russian military successes, forced the US and its coalition to bring him in from the cold and to become the important player, in this Syrian crisis. Before Putin's involvement, the fight against ISIL and the Nusra Front going badly, with more and more territory falling into their hands. The Russians did not restrict their "sorties" to these two but also targeted the "Syrian rebels". The pariah is now a welcomed partner.
Putin the "peacemaker", is riding high these days and so is Russia. It remains in East Ukraine ( and with Harper gone, you can barely hear a whimper from the West), and is there to stay. In Syria, it has an air base and a naval facility in Syria and will not leave them. It also will keep a number of troops in Syria ( Russia had always wanted a warm water poet in the Middle East and now it has one.
Putin's popularity continues to be very high in Russia, despite the economic sanctions and its effects on the lives of the people. He as brought back pride to his nation ( after the alcoholic- soaked regime of Yeltsin, which saw Russia become a "joke". Back in 1960, the then leader Nikita Khruschev, was asked by the editor of the Egyptian publication al Ahram, what constitutes a superpower's clout, and he replied that " half of a superpower's clout is its prestige and that if a superpower loses its prestige, it becomes nothing more than an old whore". No respect).
Putin has restored Russia's pride, power and prestige and it is an important "player" and no longer an "Old Whore"
